Week 39: Bureaucratic Hurdles, Folk Festivals and Savings

00:00:01:

00:00:04: Welcome to a brand new episode of plus forty nine.

00:00:08: I'm your host, Malina, and I'm excited to have you with us as September draws to a close, bringing you major headlines and plenty of reasons to look at Germany's changing landscape.

00:00:19: This week we spotlight a turning point in Germany's migration story.

00:00:23: For the first time since two thousand eleven, the number of refugees living in Germany has slightly decreased.

00:00:30: dropping by about fifty thousand in the first half of two thousand twenty-five.

00:00:35: Meanwhile, policymakers are tightening rules to clamp down on welfare misuse, and German businesses are calling on the government to cut bureaucracy and attract much-needed talent.

00:00:47: And the culture segment will dive into Germany's rich folk fest tradition.

00:00:51: because while Oktoberfest in Munich might be world famous, folk festivals of every size bring regional history and community spirit alive across the country, from Straubing to Bremen.

00:01:04: And our interview conversation this week is with Finance Advisor Alejandro Wagner.

00:01:09: We chat about navigating German banking, where she stored your savings and how he managed to bring a little piece of Mexico into German life.

00:01:18: Finally, when asked a German, we crack open the question, why don't Germans love a good after-work hangout with colleagues?

00:01:26: So, let's jump right in.

00:01:38: This week's news, spotlight an important demographic shift.

00:01:42: For the first time since the year, the number of refugees living in Germany has slightly decreased.

00:01:49: According to recent government data, the total fell by around fifty thousand and the first half of two thousand twenty five.

00:01:57: From approximately three thousand five hundred forty five million at the end of two thousand two thousand twenty four to three thousand four hundred ninety five million now.

00:02:08: This dip results not only from increased deportations and voluntary departures, but also from more refugees gaining German citizenship.

00:02:16: For example, over Eighty-three thousand former Syrian nationals were naturalized last year alone.

00:02:23: However, about four hundred ninety-two thousand people still live in Germany with uncertain status, including asylum seekers and those with tolerated residence.

00:02:33: The number of refugees from Ukraine remains high, standing at nearly one point twenty-seven million as of July two thousand twenty-five.

00:02:41: Political voices caution against celebrating their decline.

00:02:45: noting that global reasons for flight have not lessened and a tighter EU borders limit new arrivals.

00:02:52: The left party describes the situation as illustrating the absurdity of claims of a migration crisis used to justify restrictive asylum laws.

00:03:02: Meanwhile, the government is also addressing social welfare misuse.

00:03:06: CDU's Carsten Linnemann called for tighter AU rules to prevent exploitation of Germany's social system, criticizing loopholes and their current rules that allow minimal work combined with social benefit claims.

00:03:20: On the labor market front, bureaucratic hurdles remain a major challenge for recruiting foreign skilled workers as seen in Bremen's efforts to ease integration with dedicated welcome centers providing one-stop advice on work, residence and housing.

00:03:37: Employers emphasised the need to streamline administration processes to attract and retain talent crucial for Germany's future growth.

00:03:47: Lastly, the Parliament is preparing to pass next year's budget, which includes significant borrowing to fund key areas like infrastructure and defence.

00:03:57: The Bundestag debates will conclude by the end of November.

00:04:01: That's it for your news roundup for this week.

00:04:11: Germany is world famous for its Oktoberfest, the largest folk festival on the planet, drawing over six million people each year to Munich.

00:04:20: But Oktoberfest is just one vibrant example and a rich tradition of folk festivals celebrated across the country.

00:04:28: These lively events are more than just parties.

00:04:31: They are century-old traditions deeply rooted in local culture and history.

00:04:37: Volkswagen typically marks seasonal changes, religious holidays or important local anniversaries.

00:04:44: Many begin as harvest festivals or fairs linked to agriculture, trade or church calendars.

00:04:51: Over time they have grown to include music, dancing, traditional costumes, carnival rides and of course plenty of regional food and beer.

00:05:01: Beyond Munich's Oktoberfest, which started back in the eighteenth and to celebrate a royal wedding, there are numerous other folk fester worth exploring.

00:05:11: For example, the Gäubodenfolkfest in Straubing is Bavaria's second largest folk festival and offers a lively mix of parades, music and hardy local cuisine.

00:05:22: The Rosenheimer Herbstfest, also known as the likeable Oktoberfest, blends tradition with a relaxed atmosphere.

00:05:30: In Stuttgart, der Kannstädter Volksfest rivals Oktoberfest in popularity, with a three-week celebration featuring huge tents and thrilling rides.

00:05:40: North and Germany host its own favorites too.

00:05:43: Bremen's historic Freimarkt brings festive crowds, carnival highlights and regional specialities for over one thousand years.

00:05:52: Each region's festival reflects its unique history and character.

00:05:57: making Germany's Folk Festival a mosaic of cultural expression.

00:06:01: Folk Festival remained an important part of German identity because they foster community spirit and celebrate tradition amid modern life.

00:06:10: They offer spaces for locals and visitors to connect and enjoy live music, savor local flavors and honor shared heritage.

00:06:19: Whether it's the grandeur of Oktoberfest or a smaller local fest steeped in history, these celebrations continue to shape social life in Germany, proving that folk festivals are much more than just seasonal fun.

00:06:32: They are living traditions that keep culture vibrant and alive.

00:06:44: So we're today with someone who has a very interesting t-shirt that says Amarte, which is in Spanish, love yourself.

00:06:53: And this is Alejandro Wagner.

00:06:54: Thank you so much for being with us today.

00:06:57: Thank you for having me here.

00:06:59: So what does Amarte mean?

00:07:01: Amarte means originally, Alemania, Mexico, Arte.

00:07:05: And that was a cultural project with the idea to bring art.

00:07:09: Basically, my artist friends from Mexico to Germany.

00:07:13: And that was when I inherited the boutique and art gallery from my mother, fifteen years ago.

00:07:20: And I had somehow had to built a bridge.

00:07:23: and they asked me my friends hey why don't you take art over to Germany and we can sell it there and say I'm not an art galerist I'm a financial advisor.

00:07:32: but they you know insisted and we did that video and you know we brought an artist here in two thousand fifteen to the entrepreneurship summit Daniel Balmer and he builds kinetic sculptures as a sculptures that move.

00:07:48: and I connected that with the topic of entrepreneurship Because I say that being an entrepreneur is being like an artist, right?

00:07:56: You have to create something new.

00:07:57: You come up with a business idea and it's a more an act of creation than with finance.

00:08:04: So you're in between worlds, not only Mexico and Germany, but also culture and economics.

00:08:10: Absolutely.

00:08:11: How have you managed to do that?

00:08:15: I mean, you're half Mexican, half German.

00:08:19: Well, I was born in Mexico, in Tlatelorco, Mexico City, in the heart of Mexico.

00:08:25: And I grew up in Ajijic, a small town in Mexico, next to the Chapala Lake.

00:08:30: That's where the gallery, the Mi Mexico, it's called, is.

00:08:33: And that's where I grew up.

00:08:35: And then with eighteen, I came to Germany.

00:08:37: Basically, I just wanted to come here for one year and then go back, but then somehow I forgot to go back.

00:08:44: But that shop connected me again with Mexico and basically forced me to go regularly there to take a look at the shop and everything, you know.

00:08:55: I have employees there that take care, or did care about it because I had to close it.

00:09:00: After fifteen years, I had to close it in February on Valentine's Day because of course, Majora roof issue we had there and yeah.

00:09:09: So that was an institution that kept me going there and going back there.

00:09:14: And I have my friends there, you know, and somehow I had to learn to integrate in my life and being also fortunate that my job as a financial advisor can do it remotely.

00:09:26: So now I'm living between England, Mexico and Berlin.

00:09:33: Mr.

00:09:33: Worldwide.

00:09:34: Yeah, but, you know, it gets strenuous after a while.

00:09:37: How is it to bring things specifically in your case from Mexico to Europe and to Germany?

00:09:45: Do the Germans like Mexican art?

00:09:48: Are they interested in something that comes from far away?

00:09:52: Yeah, of course.

00:09:53: You always try to, as an expert, you always try to connect with your home country, right?

00:09:58: And you try to find a meaning of being... Mexican and German as well, you know, and somehow to try to connect it to make sense, you know, and not have like a double life.

00:10:12: And one of the logic things is to be an entrepreneur and see how you can make a business out of it.

00:10:18: So you're not only serving your home country where you're right now, but also your country of origin, you know, and then you think, okay, what can it be useful here that we have there?

00:10:29: and vice versa, you know.

00:10:31: And I came up with the shoes that I sell in Mexico, the San Miguel shoes that are designed for Mexican couple stones of San Miguel Allende.

00:10:43: The problem of women, they want comfortable shoes, but they want them in all kinds of colors and sizes and styles that match with their dresses.

00:10:54: But, you know, you cannot put sneakers on on a Renaissance or in a cocktail party in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

00:11:02: No.

00:11:03: No.

00:11:03: So you have the problem that they carry two pair of shoes, you know, the tennis shoes, the sneakers for the street, and then they put on, on the party, the other shoes.

00:11:11: No.

00:11:12: So the idea is these San Miguel shoes, they were made for the cobblestones, but also with heels.

00:11:17: So, yeah, and I brought them here as a case study to show Mexicans.

00:11:22: at the beginning, how to start a business in Mexico.

00:11:25: And that's how I connected financial advice with the shoes and with the shop.

00:11:30: And yeah, and it was part also of a business idea competition with Professor Faltin.

00:11:36: He's my mentor, a professor for entrepreneurship.

00:11:41: And I presented there and the idea is to beat Thalando by offering shoes that fit, you know, and that you don't have to send back.

00:11:52: That would be awesome.

00:12:02: You were talking about not only your thought for your passion for shoes and for Mexico, but also that you are a financial advisor and you do networkings on Fridays specifically.

00:12:16: So tell us a little bit about financial advisors and of course your Fridays.

00:12:22: Yes.

00:12:22: Okay.

00:12:23: So yeah, I'm a financial advisor since two thousand and one.

00:12:28: And I'm a broker, I'm a specialist for real estate and for bank accounts and insurances and basically helping people to integrate into the financial system here in Germany as expats and matching basically your life with finances.

00:12:46: I still have no idea how to do that, to be honest.

00:12:49: Well, you know, it's like, you know, I need like an odd piece.

00:12:52: It must have a structure.

00:12:54: You need a base of certain insurances, you know.

00:12:57: You're being very

00:12:58: German right now with the

00:13:00: whole structure

00:13:01: part.

00:13:01: I still don't have any structure.

00:13:02: I'm not that German, but you pointed out something very important here.

00:13:07: It is not only about integrating yourself inside of the German culture, but also integrating your finances into, yeah, into your life, which

00:13:17: is... Into your life, yeah.

00:13:18: And basically I consider myself like a... Life designer, you know you that you can with financial advisor can design your life to encourage people to Start with a side business, you know and and see where it goes and have an extra income maybe and grow personally and do what.

00:13:37: what you really hear from this life, you know.

00:13:40: and But it has also an impact on your finance.

00:13:43: if you tell me hey, you know what they're gonna retire in Sri Lanka.

00:13:47: Well, they're not gonna tell you what Have you thought about your health insurance there?

00:13:51: Because by the time you retire, nobody wants you.

00:13:56: So that kind of questions, you know.

00:13:57: And yeah, and also being an entrepreneur.

00:14:01: So from showing how to import business shoes from Mexico, I did that in a networking event series that I had then was called Wissenkontakte Chancen.

00:14:14: And that was a recurrent thing, you know.

00:14:17: Yeah, because the idea here is not only to integrate you financially in this country, because when you leave your home country, you leave also your business contacts, right?

00:14:28: And then you don't know anybody here.

00:14:30: So your success depends also on who you know.

00:14:36: And that's why I combine them to really empower you guys.

00:14:39: What is the first thing?

00:14:42: I mean, of course, the main point of this is to invite everybody who's hearing to go to your events.

00:14:47: But before that, give us a little bit of a taste of what

00:14:52: are

00:14:53: under your ideas or what can you recommend us?

00:14:58: Once you arrive to Germany, what are kind of the first things that you should definitely take into consideration or maybe to avoid?

00:15:07: I mean, I have to be super honest here.

00:15:10: I was fairly new in Germany and I have this whole credit card thing that we also have in in Mexico and we have in the United States.

00:15:18: so I I hired a credit card from Barclays and it has been giving me the worst pain ever.

00:15:26: The money that I actually got from there, I think I've paid it like five times already.

00:15:31: And I cannot see that I can come out of it.

00:15:34: But of course, you don't have credit cards in Germany the way that we in Mexico or people in America

00:15:39: have.

00:15:41: That's my my first biggest fopo that I did.

00:15:45: But you probably have a lot of other recommendations.

00:15:49: Oh, yes, of course, I do have.

00:15:51: You know how I use credit cards, you know, I have a separate credit card just for traveling, right and and I put every month I put two hundred fifty euros on it and Forget about it.

00:16:05: And every time I book a flight I always have money to fly to Mexico anytime.

00:16:10: That is a very good recommendation

00:16:12: Absolutely, you don't go into minus, you know, and you have to the budget you have, you know the the peace of mind that You're budgeted, you travel, you know, and you have money for that.

00:16:24: And the same thing you should do, budget everything, budget for your rental, budget for, hey, for sex, drugs and rock and roll, but also for insurances and savings, you know.

00:16:35: And the first thing I would do is besides getting a bank account here, probably two or a debit card where you transfer that money, separate your fixed cost from your living costs.

00:16:46: Because if you have only everything in one bank account, it's chaos.

00:16:50: You see money there, it goes out.

00:16:52: So you have to install short, middle, long-term saving plans.

00:16:57: You should have some ETFs, some funds, but you should also get some basic insurance, like your liability insurance, otherwise you don't get an apartment here in Germany.

00:17:07: A

00:17:10: lot of other things.

00:17:11: I recommend a travel insurance, otherwise you don't come back.

00:17:14: Yeah, if something happens.

00:17:16: So there's some basic things.

00:17:18: And then, yeah, I get to know people, you know, come to the first Fridays to meet people from diverse disciplines, industries, nations, get connected, get inspired.

00:17:37: Do you think it is still possible in this landscape to save?

00:17:43: Yes, always.

00:17:44: Of course.

00:17:45: Look, I think that most people live like zombies.

00:17:49: They even don't know how much they spent.

00:17:52: If I ask them, I talk, how much do you spend on groceries?

00:17:56: People don't know.

00:17:58: How much do you spend on this?

00:18:00: Most people not all know how much they earn.

00:18:03: There are people that don't know how much they earn.

00:18:06: No, they don't.

00:18:07: I pray every time that I know that

00:18:10: I

00:18:10: hope that I will be earning the

00:18:11: same amount.

00:18:12: Yeah, but most people do, but most people don't know for what the money goes.

00:18:17: I mean, it even applies to me, though, that I was doing, like, being more mindful and said, okay, I just realized that I'm spending one hundred twenty years a month on bug verk buying croissants.

00:18:29: And I multiply that by twelve months, and I hope that's a trip to Mexico.

00:18:33: Oh God, I don't even

00:18:34: want to think about

00:18:35: my coffee.

00:18:36: I'm super honest about it.

00:18:38: I've heard this so many times, like, yeah, the coffees that you drink, but for me to be honest, and this is, for me, I'm single, I'm living alone in my house in Berlin.

00:18:52: to be honest, to go out to my same coffee shop and talk with people.

00:18:56: The first thing in the morning, it sorts of gives me some sort of comfort that at least someone is there that I can talk to.

00:19:05: They know who I am.

00:19:06: They even know how my dog, they give my dog a little bit of cheese.

00:19:10: You know, that has been my, why am I giving this money away?

00:19:16: Because it is kind of comfort food, a hundred percent, but it's also Yeah, like something that makes me feel at home, especially in this place that you know, sometimes you don't precisely feel at home.

00:19:29: And I know that there are a lot of things that we might as well buy without really thinking about

00:19:34: it.

00:19:35: But in the case of coffee, and it would be okay or advisable that I do a budget for this.

00:19:44: And I just say like, okay, this is them.

00:19:48: amount of money that I'm actually spending without getting crazy and then just keep doing it.

00:19:53: or would you advise to just keep the coffee away and drink it home?

00:19:57: I think the important thing is that you make a conscious decision.

00:20:02: It's all about mindfulness, to being of awareness, you know, say, okay, but analyze how much you spend on this coffee without judging.

00:20:11: It is important for you.

00:20:12: You're supporting a local business.

00:20:14: It's also important.

00:20:15: You know, you're doing something for the kids and there's two families there, make a budget for it.

00:20:20: If it's one hundred eighty or two hundred euros, then that's it.

00:20:24: That's fine.

00:20:26: And the thing is what I recommend is to have bank accounts, one with your fixed costs, right, and your income there, and where you transfer also a fixed budget for living expenses.

00:20:41: And if there's something very special, like in my case, traveling or and you can do cafe, you know, you can have an extra debit card just for that.

00:20:51: And then you know, okay, this is the one, you know,

00:20:54: that's a great recommendation.

00:20:56: Yeah.

00:20:57: But the important is that whatever salary you have, I mean, the average salary here in Germany is four thousand, three hundred, brutal.

00:21:05: That's about three thousand net.

00:21:07: Yeah.

00:21:08: So you, let's say you, you spend one thousand in rent.

00:21:11: If it's not your property, yeah.

00:21:13: Also I think one thousand euros on living expenses from which maybe four hundred is grocery and two hundred is traveling and whatever and the other thousands you save.

00:21:26: Short, mid, long term and don't leave ever a position in zero.

00:21:29: otherwise you have zero money short, mid or long term.

00:21:34: It is

00:21:34: very complicated to talk about money.

00:21:36: I think in general, like it is.

00:21:39: I do remember, I don't know if that is true just for Germany, but I do know that I've heard a lot of speculation that says that you in Germany cannot ask someone how much they own.

00:21:52: Yeah, it's a taboo topic because I don't know.

00:21:56: people have their child issues there, I don't know, because they didn't get enough allowance or whatever, you know.

00:22:04: And it was a taboo topic at home.

00:22:08: Somehow nobody speaks about it.

00:22:10: Nobody teaches that in school how it should be.

00:22:13: And therefore, I think it's important that what the Mexican government is doing, you know, with the Ventanilla de Sociedía Financiera, there are like monthly Zoom sessions.

00:22:24: with financial experts who then talk about finance.

00:22:29: Like, as a matter of fact, tomorrow is my turn.

00:22:33: I will talk about finance for entrepreneurs, you know, in Spanish, and they can ask questions and stuff like that.

00:22:38: And if there are further questions that can contact me, whatever.

00:22:42: I think I need to be there tomorrow.

00:22:44: Yes, sure.

00:22:45: Yes.

00:22:46: If you see my, so before,

00:22:48: before

00:22:49: I go into, do

00:22:49: you have

00:22:50: any suggestions regarding a budgeting app?

00:22:54: You know, the thing is, you can do that.

00:22:59: If it works for you, there are people who are obsessed with Excel and they're like controlled.

00:23:05: Yes, if that's for you, you can go that way.

00:23:08: And you can use these budgeting apps.

00:23:11: The important thing is that you budget.

00:23:12: How you do it, you can also take it to old school on a piece of paper and do it.

00:23:18: Or if you follow my advice, You know, if everything goes in automatic, automatic savings, automatic transfer of money to your debit and credit cards and other saving accounts, the only thing that you have to remember is the pin of your debit card for sex, drugs and rock and roll for your limbs.

00:23:40: Everything goes automatic.

00:23:43: Make it an habit.

00:23:44: It's a lot of psychology.

00:23:46: And then, you know, you feel better when you see that.

00:23:49: You're getting anywhere, you know?

00:23:51: Okay, your first ten thousand, your first one hundred thousand.

00:23:54: But you have to start somewhere, yeah.

00:23:56: It feels like it will never happen to me.

00:24:00: But that is another thing.

00:24:08: I will introduce right now Marlene and Marlene.

00:24:11: Do you have any question as someone who is in her twenties?

00:24:15: Definitely a little bit younger than myself.

00:24:17: And I've already done so much weird things that I don't know how to fix it.

00:24:23: You can.

00:24:26: I like the challenge though.

00:24:28: So I guess my main question is always with this whole saving topic is where to start with ETFs and everything like that because in school this is a topic that is not talked about and I even had economics for like two years but it's not really talked about and it's just from an outside perspective.

00:24:47: it seems so overwhelming and I just don't know how and where to start.

00:24:52: so do you have any tips on that?

00:24:55: Yes, absolutely.

00:24:56: First, I would get a start with something simple after your bank accounts start with having a financial reserve.

00:25:04: Okay, you should have that at least two, three salaries, months, expenses, you know, something secure and accessible, you know, take a tiger's gag contour, but you have to beat the inflation on the long haul.

00:25:16: And you can do that with ETFs.

00:25:18: The thing is here that you diversify.

00:25:20: I'm not giving you right now financial advice, but you can ask me and I can help you select them.

00:25:26: ETFs that invest worldwide in technology and the big companies, you know, diversify, you know, and be aware of the ups and downs.

00:25:38: But hey, the losses of today are the gains of tomorrow, I say, you know, and, and if you go on the long haul, I mean, these.

00:25:45: things have done six, seven, eight, ten percent every year.

00:25:50: And if you take the time, the compound effect for thirty years, if you, example, if you invest five hundred euros a month for thirty years, you will get more than half a million euros there.

00:26:02: If you have six percent every month, if you start one year later, you only would have invested six thousand euros less, but you would have missed thirty thousand euros in gains.

00:26:16: And then for the pension, but here my advice for somebody who is young and hopefully healthy, I would ensure first your biometrical risks, your health, your workforce.

00:26:35: And you install a pension plan that even in case that you are not able to work on the long haul.

00:26:43: that the insurance company keeps investing in those ETFs, because you would not contribute anything to the gazestiche Rentenfilting, to the pension plan, you will not be able to save, so you need to replace that income.

00:26:58: So that's my first advice, and you earlier do that the cheaper it is.

00:27:02: And yeah, I'll start with ETFs.

00:27:06: And then in ten years, you buy the first property.

00:27:09: You can come to me, you can buy micro apartments, forty square meters, they pay it for themselves.

00:27:15: You get money back from the taxes and the tenant is paying the loan and then you keep on doing that and then when you let's pay it off, you can take money out of that property and buy something in Mexico if you want to.

00:27:29: And then you can go to have a nice winter vacation in Mexico.

00:27:35: For instance, yeah.

00:27:37: Alejandro, thank you so much for this.

00:27:41: How can we contact you?

00:27:43: How can we, if you Google me?

00:27:44: Alejandro Wagner, Alejandro like Lady Gaga, Wagner like the composer.

00:27:50: I've been having that song in my head ever since I said that we were going to interview you.

00:27:55: I was like Alejandro,

00:27:59: I keep thinking about it.

00:28:01: Alejandro Wagner, MLP.

00:28:04: Then you find me at LinkedIn and Facebook, but also on my website where you can set an appointment.

00:28:11: You can choose an appointment.

00:28:14: It's free.

00:28:16: I take my time to listen to your story and can tell you how I work or I invite you to the first Fridays, every first Friday of the month.

00:28:25: You can reach me.

00:28:26: that.

00:28:27: Perfect.

00:28:27: Thank you so, so much.

00:28:29: And

00:28:29: we'll

00:28:30: take definitely those recommendations into action.

00:28:35: Okay.

00:28:35: Thank you very much.

00:28:48: Why you don't make friends with your colleagues at work?

00:28:52: because after Feierabend nobody wants to see you.

00:28:56: One question many newcomers and even locals ask is why don't Germans seem to enjoy going out with their colleagues after work?

00:29:05: The answer lies deeply embedded in German war culture and social norms, which plays a strong value on clear boundaries between professional and personal life.

00:29:16: In Germany, the concept of Feierabend is fundamental.

00:29:20: This term describes the end of the work day.

00:29:23: The moment when employees switch off from their job and move fully into personal time.

00:29:29: Feierabend is a sacred zone.

00:29:31: Time for family, hobbies, relaxation or social activities separate from work.

00:29:37: After-clock hours are considered private and highly respected, meaning people generally avoid bringing work topics and stress into their personal lives.

00:29:46: For many Germans, going out with colleagues after work can feel like blurring that line.

00:29:50: Having spent the entire day together at the office, they often want to recharge their social energy in a different setting, preferably with friends and family rather than workmates.

00:30:02: There's sometimes a concern that after-work gatherings might turn into informal meetings, where discussions about projects, deadlines or office politics continue outside work hours without getting paid.

00:30:14: That's it.

00:30:15: Afterwork socializing is not unheard of.

00:30:17: Casual get-togethers like a fire-arm beer after work beer at a local pub or a quick coffee with colleagues are common, especially on Fridays or after big-team milestones.

00:30:30: Though these moments might be small and low-key, they are valued ways to bond without overwhelming evening plans.

00:30:37: Another factor is how Germany generally approaches relationships.

00:30:41: Friendships and social circles tend to develop outside work settings in hobbies, clubs or well-established community groups.

00:30:49: Many people prefer to keep their work personas and private lives distinct, which means they might not see work colleagues as potential close friends.

00:30:59: Cultural emphasis on efficiency and punctuality also plays a role.

00:31:04: Long, drawn-out social events might seem indulgent or inefficient after a structured day focused on productivity.

00:31:12: In summary, Germans love clear, respectful boundaries between work and personal life.

00:31:18: While they do enjoy socializing with colleagues sometimes, they often prefer to keep their evenings for themselves and loved ones.

00:31:26: Understanding these cultural mindsets helps explain why after-work hangouts are less common.

00:31:32: and why they aren't necessarily seen as a sign of poor work environment.

00:31:45: That wraps up another episode of plus forty nine.

00:31:48: Thank you so much for joining us as we explore migration trends, folk festival culture and Alejandro's journey from Mexico to Germany.

00:31:57: If you enjoyed today's show, don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review or share your favorite episode with friends.

00:32:04: It really helps us reach new listeners.

00:32:07: Got questions or a topic you'd love to hear more about?

00:32:10: Drop us a line.

00:32:11: We always love hearing from you.

00:32:13: And be sure to tune in next week for more stories, insights and another fun round of Ask a German.

00:32:20: Until then, enjoy these last few September days and go out while it's still warm.

00:32:39: Goodbye!